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Rating: 
Summary: A generally good job with some fascinating material.
Review: A history of the Jewish people in Palestine as revealed in the archeological record, from Abraham until the Romans. Marcus' primary objectives are to assess the historical accuracy of the Bible and to provide an introduction to the various theories of what the Bible omits or gets wrong. She also give the reader a very good feel for the land, and to a lesser extent the archeologists, and the digs. Understanding Jewish history requires some understanding of the other Middle Eastern peoples as well as the approach to ruling an empire of the major powers, Babylonia, Assyria, and Persia. Her style is more discursive, and less organized than I would like, although this is more true of some chapters than others. Too often she is a reporter, reporting on what various archeologists have to say, rather than a student of the material, providing a coherent view of what is currently known, and alternative possibilities. Still, overall she does a good job, and much of the material is fascinating.
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe worth a read, but be warned....
Review: A major disappointment, but worth reading if you get it from the library. It is not in any sense a critique of the newly emerging archeological finds in the Middle East. It is a rambling collection of impressions from a somewhat informed, but certainly untrained (in archeology, history or anthropology), correspondent. It would have been more accurate on the book jacket to say that these are the personal reflections of the author, rather than to profess some objective or pragmatic approach. This is not in any way a "scientific" book, and probably belongs in the travel log or personal philosophy section of the book rack. (I fully concur with the other reviewer who suggested that the trip to Egypt was made as a vacation, with an obligatory bit of dialogue thrown into the book to keep the IRS happy - the entire section is drivel, demonstrating an almost total lack of preparation or background research on the author's part.)The omissions, misunderstandings, and lack of depth show up in almost every section. But this may not be obvious to the casual reader, unless they have been following the developments made from recent excavations and new interpretations of old finds. Sadly, the author starts with too many preconceptions. The story of the exodus has no basis in archeology, and so the premise should be that it is a false claim, unless there is some evidence to support it. The list goes on. (I would suggest that the author read "Krakatoa", by Simon Winchester (a trained geologist turned correspondent) before offering any more theories on the Santorini eruption.) BUT, if you set aside the lack of depth, and enjoy the book more as a personal journey of discovery (albeit an incomplete one), then it becomes enjoyable. Don't take what is in here as "fact" and you will be OK. Let it serve as a guide to some of the new emerging possibilities, and if you're interested, go learn more from authors who are noted historians, archeologists or anthropologists. There is a tremendous amount of new material on these subjects being published, and if this book gets you sufficiently interested to read the more erudite works, then it has served its purpose.
Rating: 
Summary: Confused Point of View
Review: Because I have an MA in ancient history and my main area of interest is the Near East and Egypt, I expected to find The View from Nebo an interesting read. To some extent I did, but for the most part I found it somewhat confusing. I had expected the author's main thrust to be the newer archaeological data on the biblical period and a clarification of the life and cultures of that period. Instead what I found was an overview of some of that data, of the personalities involved in the research and of the on going problems in the modern Middle East. The author is a journalist rather than an archaeologist, and while her vita might not lend itself to "expert" views on the topic under discussion, it should have led to a less biased view of the overall work in the field. Instead the book seems to wander from topic to topic, starting off well in some parts but then going off the rails or at least onto side tracks all over the Middle East using biblical narrative as justification for the digressions. I found particularly confusing the author's embarrassing confrontation with modern Egyptian archaeologists and museologists over the Exodus tradition. I wasn't quite sure what had she expected to accomplish other than to irritate her hosts. With an extensive native history of its own, with limited funds for excavation, preservation, presentation, and publication, and with a tumultuous relationship with modern Israel, why would Egypt feel compelled to study or present the history of the Exodus? Were they expected to be "good sports?" Were they expected to emulate the recent papal move, and as to Galileo, apologize? For what? I couldn't help but suspect the trip had functioned as a tax write-off for an exotic vacation. I was also rather surprised to have the Exodus used to date the explosion on ancient Thera. The occurrence of the Exodus itself is difficult to document; certainly people of Levantine origin crossed and recrossed Egypt's borders in antiquity, and doubtless some of these people contributed genetic material to the creators of the Israelite nation state. That this occurred in the manner in which it was described in the Bible, which is hard put to it to remain consistent with its own narrative, would be--indeed has been--difficult to prove. The event on Santorini (ancient Thera), though it would conveniently explain a lot about the biblical plagues and the tsunami like behavior of the Sea of Reeds, can be dated by geophysical methods and core samples taken from the northern and southern ice sheets. A volcanic event is an indisputable fact of nature, and geologists would place this one at a much earlier date than 1500 BCE. If the author wants to use it to date the Exodus, then the Exodus occurred considerably earlier, the reverse dating is not doable! What I felt the author did do extremely well in the book was to point out how "history" is reshaped by each new generation to meet it's own needs and philosophy and to point out that historical "truth" is something redefined with each rewriting of the narrative. It reminded me of Shaw's general in the Devil's Disciple. When asked by his aide what history would say when the British army surrendered to the Americans during the civil war, he responded that "History would lie as usual." And again of Napoleon's "History is lies agreed upon." As the author points out, each of the modern day states in the Middle East has chosen its particular brand of historical truth to achieve its own agenda.
Rating:
Summary: Digging for diplomacy
Review: Scientists look with suspicion at journalists. Media often lacks understanding of the role of research. Worse, journalists are usually working to an agenda. Amy Marcus glaringly falls into both these categories. The result is a book that starts with a vista and concludes with a vision - one that's seriously flawed. Marcus spends the book running the Red Queen's Race - running as fast as you can to stay in the same place. Her quest is a struggle to keep abreast of the fast-moving science of archaeology in its most tumultuous arena, the land of Canaan. We must admire her ambition to come to grips with a difficult topic, but this book would have been better conceived if Marcus had been a co-author or ghost writer with someone knowledgeable. Instead, she relies on a few publications and a trove of personal interviews, of which we read but snippets. Marcus, rightly assuming her readership likely has a broad concept of Biblical stories, but lacks detailed knowledge, summarises certain legends from The Book. She then introduces us to the diggers, their sites and their analyses of the data. We are given snippets of personal observation along with scientific assessment. Mt Nebo, from which Moses was to have observed the Promised Land, has been subject to excavations for over sixty years. What has been learned, that the ancient societies of Palestine were dynamic and mixed, sets the tone for the remainder of the book. The issue addressed is the roots of the modern societies of Palestine-Israel. Situated on major trade and empire-building routes, calling the history of this region "dynamic" is merely a starting point. Until recently, only two books constituted source material for how these dynamics developed - the Hebrew Bible and Josephus' History. Neither, it turns out, can be relied upon. Modern archaeology, as Marcus goes to some effort to relate, has overthrown millennia of legend and myth. Her point is that modern propaganda has little foundation on which to rest. Israel, an artificial nation derived from the shattered British Empire, has long substantiated its claims over Palestinians on the fable that it is comprised of a unique people, specially established by divine fiat. Marcus uses the finds of archaeologists to point out the Jews are but one among many with deep roots in the area. Their "unique" status fails under the scrutiny of newly revealed data. Marcus traveled the area, reading and interviewing the researchers delving into Palestine's past. The Jews and the Palestinians share a common Canaanite ancestry. Their beliefs and practices share a mutual foundation, she asserts. The evidence is in scrolls, clay tablets and architecture. Israel's former glories are manufactured through a series of writings designed to unite the separated nations of Israel and Judah. In revealing these recent disclosures, Marcus speaks with various scholars, attends conferences and assesses the information they present. Challengers of traditional views are almost universally labelled "controversial" or "brash" or other pejorative phrases. Traditionalists fare little better, but we're left with the feeling that everybody has an agenda. Still, she argues that the revelations of their efforts should "reshape the Middle East". In making this claim, Marcus mercifully ignores the force of theology in driving human passions. There is little mention of divinities in this work, or the hold they have on human thinking. Her approach is purely historical, which is apt in challenging the sources guiding opinion. How the populace can be brought to a fresh understanding of its roots, Marcus studiously avoids. The role of education is ignored, a strange omission in a book that purports to be a guiding light for change. Her stress on politics leaves the validity of the science and the depth of popular conviction obscured. Reliance on tradition, however falsely based, will overcome whatever archaeology reveals until a populace understands its weaknesses. Only immense political will can achieve her desired theme. Part of the failure to attain that will is found in Marcus' presentation of the science involved. She spends much effort in describing debates and the debaters, wholly ignoring the fact that the politicians select the portions they can use while ignoring the remainder. In her hands, archaeology remains a political tool instead of a scientific icon. Attempting to bring contending factions to negotiations founded on real science is admirable, but Marcus is addressing the wrong audience.
[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: Digging for diplomacy
Review: Scientists look with suspicion at journalists. Media often lacks understanding of the role of research. Worse, journalists are usually working to an agenda. Amy Marcus glaringly falls into both these categories. The result is a book that starts with a vista and concludes with a vision - one that's seriously flawed. Marcus spends the book running the Red Queen's Race - running as fast as you can to stay in the same place. Her quest is a struggle to keep abreast of the fast-moving science of archaeology in its most tumultuous arena, the land of Canaan. We must admire her ambition to come to grips with a difficult topic, but this book would have been better conceived if Marcus had been a co-author or ghost writer with someone knowledgeable. Instead, she relies on a few publications and a trove of personal interviews, of which we read but snippets. Marcus, rightly assuming her readership likely has a broad concept of Biblical stories, but lacks detailed knowledge, summarises certain legends from The Book. She then introduces us to the diggers, their sites and their analyses of the data. We are given snippets of personal observation along with scientific assessment. Mt Nebo, from which Moses was to have observed the Promised Land, has been subject to excavations for over sixty years. What has been learned, that the ancient societies of Palestine were dynamic and mixed, sets the tone for the remainder of the book. The issue addressed is the roots of the modern societies of Palestine-Israel. Situated on major trade and empire-building routes, calling the history of this region "dynamic" is merely a starting point. Until recently, only two books constituted source material for how these dynamics developed - the Hebrew Bible and Josephus' History. Neither, it turns out, can be relied upon. Modern archaeology, as Marcus goes to some effort to relate, has overthrown millennia of legend and myth. Her point is that modern propaganda has little foundation on which to rest. Israel, an artificial nation derived from the shattered British Empire, has long substantiated its claims over Palestinians on the fable that it is comprised of a unique people, specially established by divine fiat. Marcus uses the finds of archaeologists to point out the Jews are but one among many with deep roots in the area. Their "unique" status fails under the scrutiny of newly revealed data. Marcus traveled the area, reading and interviewing the researchers delving into Palestine's past. The Jews and the Palestinians share a common Canaanite ancestry. Their beliefs and practices share a mutual foundation, she asserts. The evidence is in scrolls, clay tablets and architecture. Israel's former glories are manufactured through a series of writings designed to unite the separated nations of Israel and Judah. In revealing these recent disclosures, Marcus speaks with various scholars, attends conferences and assesses the information they present. Challengers of traditional views are almost universally labelled "controversial" or "brash" or other pejorative phrases. Traditionalists fare little better, but we're left with the feeling that everybody has an agenda. Still, she argues that the revelations of their efforts should "reshape the Middle East". In making this claim, Marcus mercifully ignores the force of theology in driving human passions. There is little mention of divinities in this work, or the hold they have on human thinking. Her approach is purely historical, which is apt in challenging the sources guiding opinion. How the populace can be brought to a fresh understanding of its roots, Marcus studiously avoids. The role of education is ignored, a strange omission in a book that purports to be a guiding light for change. Her stress on politics leaves the validity of the science and the depth of popular conviction obscured. Reliance on tradition, however falsely based, will overcome whatever archaeology reveals until a populace understands its weaknesses. Only immense political will can achieve her desired theme. Part of the failure to attain that will is found in Marcus' presentation of the science involved. She spends much effort in describing debates and the debaters, wholly ignoring the fact that the politicians select the portions they can use while ignoring the remainder. In her hands, archaeology remains a political tool instead of a scientific icon. Attempting to bring contending factions to negotiations founded on real science is admirable, but Marcus is addressing the wrong audience.
[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointing Collage
Review: The dust jacket for Amy Marcus' book says that this book is an investigation into how archaeology is changing our view of Scriptures and the Middle East as well. Unfortunately too much of the book is a collage of Bible stories mixed with anecdotes of modern people and events. For example, Marcus offers a paragraph of some 180
words describing the office of Zahi Hawass. (BTW, his name is mispelled in the index.) In another instance, Marcus tells how Kent Weeks is changing the image of Ramses II. This story is included because if the Exodus is historical, Ramses II is probably (?) Pharaoh. Marcus also includes stories to show how archaeology is changing the Middle East. On page 90, she tells the story of Palestinians who recreate the story of Baal dying and rising back to life. Although this story is interesting in its own right, it comes across as Marcus' mind wandering again. In her view from Mount Nebo, Marcus would have done better to keep archaeology in focus.
Rating: 
Summary: ALL DIARY AND NO CAMERA
Review: The US title of this book is 'The View From Nebo', and the UK title is 'Rewriting the Bible', and without doubt the reference to Moses on Mount Nebo in the US title is the more appropriate. The author is a journalist for the Wall Street Journal, and worked in Israel from 1991 to 1998. She was able to interview many archaeologists in the field and attend some important lectures and seminars on the current developments in Near Eastern history. On the plus side, there is an excellent line drawing map showing the sites of ancient towns and cities of Israel which is very welcome as the quality of these varies greatly in this type of book. It would be pleasant to be able to recommend this book as a whole as it follows the traditional chronological approach: Genesis, Exodus, New Canaanites, David and Solomon, Divided Monarchy, and Babylonian Exile sections, with extra chapters on the Ammonites and Edomites. Unfortunately, the reportage style does not lend itself to dealing with the supposed rewriting of the bible (the Hebrew part), or even writing history in general. The real information and reasoning herein is swamped by the human interest padding. But If you want to know what Israeli archaeologists eat for breakfast and lunch, no need to do the ethological field work yourself, read it here. As there are no photographs in this book I assume Ms Marcus did not take a camera on her travels which is a sad omission as she must have had some first rate photo opportunities. But on a positive note, the Tel Dan stone inscription (which has caused a fair amount of excitement, found 1993, first unambiguous occurence of the 'House of David' outside the bible, but some people count the Mesha stone which mentions Omri too), is mentioned several times, so three cheers for archaeology and pass the boiled egg sandwiches.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Read!
Review: This is a lovely book, one that I really enjoyed reading. It made me look at the Bible in a new way, and at the Middle East. What I found most interesting were the connections made thoughout the book between the past and the present, and the way the Bible has stayed relevant throughout the ages even as scholars, historians, and now archaeologists change the way that we view the text. This isn't a dry or academic study -- it is filled with fascinating details about the people and the digs as well as the biblical history -- and the mixture of Bible stories, archaeology, and the modern debates made the book rich and accessible, particularly to someone like me who loves the Bible and history but is not in the professional field. I am going to recommend it to our book group.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read!
Review: This is a lovely book, one that I really enjoyed reading. It made me look at the Bible in a new way, and at the Middle East. What I found most interesting were the connections made thoughout the book between the past and the present, and the way the Bible has stayed relevant throughout the ages even as scholars, historians, and now archaeologists change the way that we view the text. This isn't a dry or academic study -- it is filled with fascinating details about the people and the digs as well as the biblical history -- and the mixture of Bible stories, archaeology, and the modern debates made the book rich and accessible, particularly to someone like me who loves the Bible and history but is not in the professional field. I am going to recommend it to our book group.
Rating:
Summary: A Grave Disappointment
Review: When I found this book in the inventory of a local discount book liquidator, priced at less than six dollars, I felt gratified by what appeared to be an extraordinary bargain presenting itself to me. An acquaintance of mine had heard claims that its author, Amy Dockser Marcus, had uncovered a great deal of new information regarding the historicity of the Hebrew Bible, and ever since had persistently and enthusiastically asked me to read this book so that I could give her my "expert" (I am a doctoral student with a candidacy for a Ph.D. in Near Eastern History, specializing in the formation and development of ancient Israel) opinion of it. Having been led into a state of hopeful expectation by my friend's enthusiasm, I began to read this book as soon as I returned home from the bookstore, only to find myself immediately disappointed at the poor quality of Ms. Marcus' work. This is an exasperating text to read. It is composed in a style that is confusing and seemingly without direction, and defies the reader's every attempt to determine what the point of the author's treatment might be. The book is filled with incomplete thoughts, non-sequitors, latent postulations, and sudden reversals of the tone and tenor of its argumentation. Archaeological discoveries of monumental importance are blithely noted and then passed by, leaving the reader in a state of unrequited expectation, waiting for the other foot to fall. Other discoveries of equal importance are completely omitted from discussion, possibly because they render the positions of Biblical apologists completely untenable. Ms. Marcus also contradicts herself on many important points developed in the text, and I got the sense at times that she was being unwittingly impelled to and fro across a landscape of contentious scholarship by a number of conflicting forces. It seems that her ignorance of the subject matter leaves her insensible to the true depth and nature of the conflicts in which she has become embroiled. Thus, the resulting composition contains a number of mischaracterizations of both scholars and the data they treat, and frequently launches into unprofitable tangents away from relevant analysis. Further, Ms. Marcus commits some grotesque factual errors in her text. For example, she states that most modern scholars believe that the island of Thera erupted ca. 1500 BCE, and states that a portion of the "historical" basis for the Exodus narrative might be found in this event. However, the fact is that such low dating of the Thera eruption has always been in the minority opinion of scholarship, and has been refuted by recent radiometric, isotopic ratiometric, and other physical studies that allow us to conclude with strong certainty that Thera's eruption occurred in the seventeenth century BCE. Similarly, she claims that historians have never offered a satisfactory explanation of why a tradition of a past slavery in Egypt would emerge among the Israelites if it were not based on fact. However, an analysis of the works of Stiebing, Fields, and other prominent historians gives the lie to this claim, showing that there are a number of models that adequately explain the emergence of such a tradition as an historical fiction. These historical models exclude no pertinent data from their analyses, which, of course, cannot be accurately stated of the models produced by any Biblical apologist. This book also suffers from Ms. Marcus' clear bias and partiality on the issues she discusses. The positions and factual underpinnings of the scholarship of the "Copenhagen School" are somewhat misrepresented and largely minimalized, while the positions of a vast cadre of Biblical apologists are substantially over-credited. She seems to be unduly influenced by some key personalities (such as William Dever), and I got the impression that at times the author was "duped" regarding the true motives and imperatives that motivate some of the scholars upon whom she relies (several of whom I know personally). At other times Ms. Marcus has her own philosophical ax to grind. Models developed from the impartial application of disciplined historical methodologies are termed "radical" or "highly controversial", whereas thoroughly disproven and discredited positions of Biblical apologists are given strong credence. She seems to want to maintain the relevance of the Biblical narrative, though in slightly non-traditional terms, and refuses to give proper countenance to the vast amount of data that completely undermines the Bible's veracity as an historical document. However, with the foregoing detractions being noted, this book might prove to be of value to novices in the field of Near Eastern History. The author does provide an extensive bibliography and list of source references, and for this reason I give this book two stars in my rating instead of only one. But for those of us who possess more than a rudimentary knowledge of the subject, this book cannot fail but to disappoint. I would recommend that all serious students of the ancient Near East eschew this book in preference of more scholarly, objective, and reliable works.
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